The David (Michelangelo), By Rico Heil (User:Silmaril) - private photo, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=260560

Greece

Athens

  • Heraklion Archaeological Museum
  • The Acropolis Museum
  • Knossos
  • National Archaeological Museum
  • Palace of the Grand Master
  • Ancient Philippoi
  • ​Theatre of Dionysus
  • Olympia
  • The Acropolis









  • Epidaurus Ancient Theatre
  • Knossos and Knossos Palace
  • Parthenon
  • Mycenae
  • Samothrace Temples
  • Temple of Aphaea
  • Temple of Apollo Epicurius in Bassae
  • Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion
  • Temple of Hephaestus
  • Odeon of Herodes Atticus
  • The Panathenaic Stadium









  • Nicopolis
  • Rhodes
  • Hagios Demetrios
  • Marine Gate and east walls of the medieval city of Rhodes
  • Parthenon
  • The Temple of Hephaestus
  • Delphi




​​








Other Cities

  • ​Palace of the Grand

        Master in the

        city of Rhodes




Washington Memorial - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54872

The Berlin Wall (Berlin) - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Burano - Photo By Vicki Kralapp​

 Piazza Navona - By Natyss med - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4498216

Playa del Amor, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - By rock formations, great for sunbathing

National Museum - By Beax - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2243968

Among my other mistakes was not bringing the proper clothing along.  We never know what adventures or events to be prepared for on a trip, but there are some basic rules that you can follow.  During my stay in the three Austrian cities, several of my friends wanted to mountain climb, and I decided to join in.  Although it was beautiful and not too steep, without the proper shoes it was also extremely hard on the legs and many of us paid the price for many days.  Again, while in Munich I had the opportunity to go to Denmark with a bunch of my fellow students.  But the North Sea was so cold on our ferryboat ride that we froze.  The first thing we all bought were heavy sweaters to keep us warm!


One cannot schedule sufficient time when you travel to catch trains, planes and cruises.  So it is in your best interest to arrive at your destination with plenty of time to spare.  After a long weekend in Paris, I realized that I had forgotten to buy some perfume for my mom, so I went off in search of a nice, but affordable package.  But upon returning to the train station, I got turned around and spent 45 frantic minutes lost in the Paris Metro. Luckily I had left my luggage and travel supplies with my friends, but literally had to run and jump on the train as it was pulling out of the station! 


I could go on and on, but I would rather save some of my tales for later posts.  These all make for great stories to share later while sitting safely around a table with friends and a good beer or glass of wine, but they are truly no fun while experiencing them.  Therefore, our best defense is a good offense: meaning being prepared.  Hopefully these and other stories will help you to have less stressful more enjoyable adventures! ©

Germany

Berlin

  • Reichstag (Berlin)
  • Berlin's Brandenburg Gate (Berlin)
  • Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church (Berlin)
  • Altes Museum, Berlin
  • Neues Museum (Berlin)
  • Charlottenburg Palace (Berlin)
  • Neuschwanstein Castle (Füssen)
  • The Berlin Wall (Berlin)







Cologne (Koln)

  • Museum Ludwig, Cologne
  • Schnütgen Museum, Cologne​
  • Wallraf-Richartz Museum/Fondation Corboud, Cologne
  • Aachen Cathedral
  • Schwerin Castle
  • Hohenzollern Castle
  • Rothenburg ob der Taube
  • Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)












Munich (München)

  • Alte Pinakothek (Munich)
  • Neue Pinakothek (Munich)
  • Bayerisches Museum (Munich)
  • Lenbachhaus (Munich)
  • Hoffbrauhaus (Munich)
  • Glockenspiel (Munich)















​​​Other Cities

  • Braunfels Castle (Braunfels)
  • Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Rothenburg)
  • Sanssouci Park and Palace, (Potsdam)
  • Wieskirche - Church in the Meadow
  • Frauenkirche (Dresden)
  • Grunes Gewölbe (Green Vault) Dresden
  • Heidelberg Old City (Heidelberg)
    Heidelberg Castle (Heidelberg)
  • Church of Our Lady in MunichBurg Eltz (Münstermaifeld)
  • Hohenzollern Castle (Hechingen)
  • Lichtenstein Castle (Lichtenstein)
  • Schweriner Castle (Schwerin)
  • Reichsburg Castle (Cochem)
  • Germanisches Nationalmuseum (Germanic National Museum), Nürnberg
  • Kunsthalle, Hamburg
  • Scloss Linderhof

Spain​
Santiago de Compostela

  • The Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao)
  • Museo de Bellas Artes (Bilbao)
  • Museo de Bellas Artes (Valencia)
  • Alhambra, Granada
  • Palacio Real de la Granja de San Ildefonso, San Ildefonso
  • Palacio Real de Aranjuez, Aranjuez
  • Palacio de Carlos V, Granada
  • Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, A Coruña.










Madrid

  • Palacio de Cibeles
  • Palacio Real
  • Palacio de Cristal
  • Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
  • The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum 
  • The National Museum “Centro de Arte Reina Sofia” (Also known as MNCARS)
  • Museo Nacional del Prado (Popularly called El Prado)










Barcelona​

  • ​MNAC (Catalan National Art Museum) 
  • Sagrada Familia 
  • Palau Nacional
  • Santa Maria Del Mar
  • El Palau De La Musica Catalana
  • Barri Gotic
  • Park  Guell
  • Museu Nacional D’Art De Catalunya
  • Picasso Museum 

​

​

​

Other Cities​

  • Museo de Bellas Artes (Seville)
  • Seville Cathedral
  • Burgos Cathedral
  • Leon Cathedral
  • Toledo Cathedral
  • Cadiz Cathedral
  • Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
  • Granada Cathedral
  • Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
  • Roman theater in Mérida.
  • The Alhambra: Court of the Lions
  • Burgos Cathedral
  • San Pablo Church, Valladolid.
  • El Escorial
  • ​Segovia, Spain
  • Palacio de San Telmo, Seville

​Constance Halaveli Resort, North Ari Atoll, Maldives - Unspoiled white sand and crystal waters
Ninety Mile Beach, North Island, New Zealand - Actually 88 km long, popular for bodyboarding
Piha Beach, North Island, New Zealand - Famous surf beach, black iron sand
Puka Beach (Yapak), Boracay, Philippines - White sand beach
Matira Beach, Bora Bora, French Polynesia - Silky powder white sand beach
Temae and Teavora, Moorea, French Polynesia - Teavora - Has a reef and perfect for snorkeling

Mexico

  • Museo Nacional de Antropología
  • Museo Nacional de Historia: Castillo de Chapultepec
  • El Tajin
  • Cathedral  Metropolitana
  • Santa Prisca Church (Taxco)
  • Plaza de la Constitucion 
  • Metropolitan Cathedral 
  • National Palace 
  • Ruins of an ancient Aztec temple
  • Teotihuacán







  • The Templo Mayor and Museo del Templo Mayor
  • Malinalco
  • Palenque
  • Uxmal
  • ​Cobá (Quintana Roo, Mexico)
  • The National Palace and the ruins of an ancient Aztec temple
  • Chichen Itza








​

  • Museo Pantaleón Panduro:
  • Museo Antropología de Xalapa:
  • Museo de la Cultura Maya
  • Museo Nacional de Arte: MUNAL            
  • Museo Franz Mayer
  • Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo
  • Cuicuilco
  • Atlantes de Tula









By Henry Kellner - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35232111

Week 2 - 

What Do I Want To Do

While Traveling?

Croatia

  • Art Pavilion
  • Zagreb City Museum
  • Mimara Museum
  • Dominican Monastery Museum
  • Sponza Palace
  • Ivan Meštrović Gallery
  • Old City
  • Archaeological Museum, Zagreb
  • Palace of Diocletian
  • Salona





​


  • Castle Pejacevic
  • Palace Brezovica
  • St Jacobs Cathedral, Šibenik
  • Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb
  • The Temple of Augustus
  • Monastery church of St. Francis, cloisters
  • Punta Verudela
  • Pula Arena: a Monument of Roman Architecture, Croatia









​​

  • Cakovec Castle
  • Palace Ludbreg
  • Palace Lovrencina Kucari
  • Palace Eltz Vukovar
  • Castle Luznica Zapresic
  • Old Town castle Varazdin
  • Castle Veliki Tabor
  • Castle Trakoscan
  • ​Trogir

Peru

  • Historic centre (Lima)
  • Historic Centre (Cusco)
  • Historic centre (Arequipa)
  • Historic Centre (Trujillo)
  • Arquitectonica
  • Sacred Valley of the Inca
  • Government Palace of Perú
  • Torre Tagle Palace
  • Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI ‪(Lima)
  • Machu Picchu

The Winter Palace - By A.Savin (Wikimedia Commons · WikiPhotoSpace) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21506457

Canterbury Cathedral - By Hans Musil - Picture taken and postprocessed by Hans Musil., GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=362071

Sistine Chapel Ceiling - By FSU Guy at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52691460

Hearst Castle, San Simeon - By Hearst_Castle_-_a_view_of_the_castle_from_California_State_Route_1.JPG: Fietsbelderivative work: Durova (talk) - Hearst_Castle_-_a_view_of_the_castle_from_California_State_Route_1.JPG, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6876634

Dohány utca Synagogue (Budapest)
St. Stephen's Basilica (Budapest)
Hungarian State Opera House (Budapest)
Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Budapest)
Royal Palace (Budapest)
Fisherman's Bastion (Budapest)



















Buda Castle

Siena Cathedral - By I, Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17028352

The Acropolis - By Christophe Meneboeuf - Own work  More of my work on my photoblog: http://www.pixinn.net, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17628432

Moorea - (Photo by Vicki Kralapp)

 National Portrait Gallery - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Punta Cana Beach, Dominican Republic 

​(Vicki Kralapp photo archives)

Hohensalzburg Castle - By © Ra Boe / Wikipedia - File:Salzburg by-RaBoe 069.jpg (cropped), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31045029

While writing my blog for this week, I had to do a significant amount of research and was totally amazed by some of the things that I learned.  For example, I still cannot fathom the number of castles, manors and towers in England and Germany!  (If you are into castles, these are two countries that are absolutely a must see.)  But it was the beauty of Croatia and the hidden treasures of Turkey that blew me away.  We simply do not hear enough about some of these countries in the West!   I could have covered many more countries, however time limited me.  So once again, when I have more free time in the future, I will add more information and perhaps a few more stories that I may have forgotten, so check back!

Charles Bridge - By David Sedlecký - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24418723

What do I want to do on my vacation?  This is a very important question for us to ask ourselves when we want to take a holiday.  When you consider that you are going to be spending a great deal of money and precious time, you do not want to find yourself in a situation where you are not enjoying yourselves and you want to get the biggest bang for your buck.  I remember being in Germany on my semester abroad in the fall of 1977, there was one student who was constantly complaining about being in a different country and how she wished she was back home.  This experience turned into a nightmare for her because she didn’t consider all of the factors in travel such as being in a different country and culture. 



Basilica of St. Mark, Basilica di San Marco - By Ricardo André Frantz (User:Tetraktys) - taken by Ricardo André Frantz, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2292943

Terrigal Beach, NSW, Australia (Photo by Vicki Kralapp)

Palace of the Grand Master in the city of Rhodes - By Picture taken by Polimerek - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45262

This is my favorite beach for beach combing and picking up shells.  Everyone tells you to visit Sanibel Island in Florida, but if you want a bigger, more unique shell, this area is the place to go.  Besides, who wouldn't like to spend a day on white sands like this and be close to places where you can purchase a cold drink on a hot day?!

Week 4 – What are some places of specific cultural, artistic or architectural importance?

Museo Nacional del Prado (Popularly called El Prado) - By Emilio J. Rodríguez-Posada from España - Museo del Prado 2016, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50386583

​The walls of Dubrovnik - By János Tamás - Dubrovnik, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18537620

Cap d'Ande 

Picasso Museum - By uayebt - Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1828681

Lincoln Memorial - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Whitehaven Beach - (Photo by Vicki Kralapp)

Czech Republic

Prague
Troja Chateau
Franz Kafka Museum

Prague Castle 



















National Gallery
Convent of St. Agnes
Šternberk Palace
Veletržní Palace
Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Culture

Old Town Hall with Astronomical Clock














AD Galerie 
Ars Diva Galerie 
Bertramka Museum of W. A. Mozart and the Dusek Family
Basilica of St. James
Charles Bridge Museum
Cold War Museum
DOX Center for Contemporary Art
National Museum Bedrich Smetana
Prague City Museum
Prague Castle

 Charles Bridge 


Egypt
Luxor & Cairo

  • Karnak
  • Deir el-Bahari
  • Ramesseum
  • Medinet Habu
  • Colossi of Memnon
  • Luxor Museum
  • The Luxor Temple
  • Al-Azhar Mosque
  • Old Cairo (Coptic Cairo)
  • The Citadel
  • Sultan Hassan Mosque
  • Bab Zuweila
  • Al-Muizz li-Din Allah Street
  • Ibn Tulun Mosque
  • The Palace of Arts
  • Mosque of Al-Hakim

​

Giza & Memphis

  • Great Sphinx of Giza
  • Pyramids of Giza
  • Step Pyramid of Djoser
  • Abu Simbel
  • Medinet Habu 
  • Temple of Kom Ombo
  • Philae Temples
  • Temple of Edfu
  • Temple of Seti I
  • Temple of Hatshepsut
  • Colossi of Memnon
  • Temple of Hatshepsut 
  • Bent Pyramid




​

Other Ancient Cities

  • Alexandria
  • Saqqara
  • Dahshur​
  • Ramesseum
  • Edfu
  • Aswan
  • Abu Simbel
  • Temple Of Amun
  • Kom Ombo Temple
  • Dendera
  • Abydos
  • Medinet Habu
  • Temple of Kom Ombo
  • Philae Temples
  • Valley of the Kings

Santa Maria della Scala - By Andreas Faessler - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32311260

The following are just some of the places, types of tours and vacations that can be found online.  I have typed in up to ten examples under the first few and will continue to post more as time goes on.  However the list is by far just a start for what can be found online.  I could not begin to give personal experience for all of these as I have only been to 14 countries up to this point in my life.   However that has given me enough experience in travel to help others, and that is just what I am doing.

Playa Paraiso - (Photo by Vicki Kralapp)

Colosseum - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Delphi - By Arian Zwegers - Delphi, Tholos, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24488478https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17628432

As we made our way down the Pfänder mountainside, we found ourselves singing the Merry Wanderer.  One beautiful day!  Going to church in Notre Dame was much more than a Sunday church service; it was an experience of a lifetime.  The acoustics were heavenly and although I didn’t understand what was said, I enjoyed the music thoroughly!  On a different continent a decade later, my neighbors at Avoca Beach, Australia were very helpful with my stay.  While visiting Canberra, their son who was a docent at the National Gallery of Australia, took me on a personal tour of the art museum and gave me a detailed background of the art found there. 

 

One of the small islands in Belize

Playa del Amor, Cabo San Lucas (Photo by Cynthia Gillis)

Jerash Ruins ‪(Jerash) - By The original uploader was Freedom's Falcon at Arabic Wikipedia - Transferred from ar.wikipedia to Commons by Tantawi82 using CommonsHelper., CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8847589

Lagoona Beach

Pompeii - By ElfQrin - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45294721

Chan Chan - By Gsd97jks at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons. Transfer was stated to be made by User:Jalo., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3167441

Poland

  • Museum Gallery of the 19th Century Polish Art
  • MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow
  • Museum of Ancient Art
  • Palace of Fine Art
  • Wawel Royal Castle












​

​​


  • National Museum














  • MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow
















​

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, A Coruña.  BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54872

Adventure
According to Travel & Leisure magazine, the following are on a list of 38 adventures to try when you type in http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/worlds-top-adventure-trips/16

  • Chile: Local Culture
  • Thailand: Trekking, Walking & Biking
  • Costa Rica: Local Culture
  • Finland
  • Jordan: Safari
  • Grand Canyon: River & Ocean
  • Mongolia: Regional Specialists
  • The Galápagos Islands: River & Ocean
  • East Africa: Safari
  • Peru: Regional Specialists


Most affordable All-Inclusives

  • Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, Ocean Coral & Turquesa Puerto Morelos, Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta, Dreams Los Cabos Los Cabos, Azul Beach Hotel, by Karisma Puerto Morelos, Riviera Maya, Mexico
  • Barceló Langosta Beach Tamarindo, Costa Rica
  • Mango Bay Holetown, Barbados
  • CocoBay Resort, Antigua
  • Divi Aruba and Tamarijn Aruba Oranjestad, Aruba
  • Meliá Caribe Tropical Punta Cana, Dominican Republic


Archeology

  • Great wall of China and the Terracotta Army Gaochang, Mogao Grottoes, Longmen Grottoes - China
  • Roman Colosseum and Forum, Pompeii Herculaneum – Italy
  • Pyramids of Giza – Egypt
  • Ephasus, Hierapolis, Myra, Pergamum, Perge and Troy, – Turkey
  • Chichén Itzá, Tulum and Teotihuacán, Mexico
  • Stonehenge Hadrian’s Wall and the Roman Baths, England
  • Machu Picchu, Peru
  • Angkor Wat, Cambodia
  • Petra, Jordan
  • Acropolis, Delphi, Knossos Greece


Architecture

  • Dubai
  • Berlin, Germany
  • Athens, Greece
  • Rome, Italy
  • New York City, Chicago, USA
  • Beijing, China
  • Shanghai
  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Paris, France
  • Brasilia, Brazil


Art

  • Florence and Rome, Italy - https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/https://theculturetrip.com/europe/italy/articles/10-of-romes-must-see-art-masterpieces/
  • Prague, Czech Republic - http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/prague_galleries.html
  • Paris, France - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/paris/articles/Pariss-best-museums-and-art-galleries/
  • New York City and San Francisco, USA - http://www.nycgo.com/things-to-do/museums-galleries   http://www.sanfrancisco.com/arts/
  • Tokyo, Japan - https://savvytokyo.com/tokyos-top-10-art-galleries/
  • St. Petersburg, Russia - http://traveltips.usatoday.com/famous-art-museums-russia-3481.html
  • Bogotá, Colombia - http://www.lonelyplanet.com/colombia/bogota/things-to-do/bogota-s-best-museums
  • Berlin, Germany - http://www.visitberlin.de/en/see/museums-art/art
  • London, England - http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/sightseeing/london-attraction/gallery/best-art-galleries-in-london#XugfZLA6qFgxq6qp.97
  • Barcelona, Spain - https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/barcelona/travel-tips-and-articles/66623


Astronomy

  • USA

    Mauna Kea Observatory—Hawaii

    Very Large Array—New Mexico

    Kitt Peak National Observatory—Arizona

    Griffith Observatory—California

    Hayden Planetarium—New York

  • Royal Observatory, Greenwich—London, U.K.
  • Cerro Paranal—Atacama Desert, Chile
  • South African Astronomical Observatory—Sutherland, South Africa
  • Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory—Florence, Italy
  • Teide National Park—Island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain


B…
Bicycling

  • Backroads Bicycle Tours - Explore the World on a Bike - ‎ https://my.backroads.com/CatalogRequest?p=D447&se=google&st=bicycle%20tours&adca=Bicycle%20Tours%20-%20Optimized&adgr=Bicycle%20Tour%20Exact&gclid=CPXOjYmc6NECFZa1wAodbSQImQ  
  • Intrepid Cycling Adventures - Cycle The World -‎ https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/myanmar-burma/cycle-myanmar-100514?gclid=COO-wdCb6NECFY62wAodGxMBOg ‎
  • Affordable Cycling Tours - ‎ https://www.exploreworldwide.com/cycling-tours
  • Sojourn Bicycling Tours - One of "Top US Bicycle Tours" -‎ http://gosojourn.com
  • USA Bike Tours | Cycling holidays and bike tours in America   https://www.usabiketours.com/ 
  • Trek Travel Luxury Cycling Vacations of a Lifetime   https://trektravel.com/
  • Experience Plus Bicycle Tours https://www.experienceplus.com


Bird watching

  • Birding Tours Worldwide - Eagle-Eye Tours - eagle-eye.com‎   http://www.eagle-eye.com/home?gclid=CM-4x6OZ6NECFQK1wAodXmQKDQ
  • WINGS Birding Tours... more than 40 years of worldwide experience   www.wingsbirds.com/  
  • Wyoming Bird Watching - travelwyoming.com‎   www.travelwyoming.com/ ‎
  • Bird-Watching-Vacation   www.bird-watching-vacation.com/
  • Birding Tours with FIELD GUIDES: a lot of birds, a lot of fun   www.fieldguides.com/
  • Flock to the 5 best Caribbean birdwatching destinations
  • experience.usatoday.com/caribbean/story/best-of...bird-watching
  • Bird watching trips. Bird watching vacations & trips. World's best ... www.responsiblevacation.com/vacations/bird-watching
  • Bird Tour Companies - WildBirds.com   www.wildbirds.com
  • Belize Birding Tours With Paradise Expeditions ... - Birding in Belize   www.birdinginbelize.com/birding_tours.html
  • Tropical Birding: Home   www.tropicalbirding.com/ 


Boating
C…
Camping
Canoeing
Christmas
Climbing
Cross Country
Cruise
Culinary
Cultural
D…
Dancing
Disabled
Dog Sledding
Dude Ranch
E…
Eclipse
Ecotourism

  • Amazon Conservation Adventure – Peru
  • Siyafunda Bush Experience - South Africa
  • Caiman Ecological Refuge – Brazil
  • Campi Ya Kanzi – Kenya
  • Thailand Coastal Marine Expedition – Thailand
  • Orangutans and Beyond – Borneo
  • Kihavah Island Coral Adoption – Maldives
  • Costa Rica - Rainforest Discovery & Adventure
  • Botswana, Great Wilderness Exploration
  • Antarctica Wildlife Expedition - South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 


Educational
Equestrian

  • St. Lawrence Ride in Quebec – Equitours
  • Barcelona/Costa Brava - http://www.equestrian-escapes.com


Extreme travel
According to travelchannel.com these are the top extreme adventures for this year

  • Scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef
  • Heli skiing in Alaska
  • Camel caravan in the Sahara
  • Climb Mount Everest
  • Canyon jumping in France
  • Safari in Africa
  • White water rafting in Arizona
  • Running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain
  • Rock climbing over the Kullen Sea


Escorted travel

  • Trafalgar – Tours worldwide - Trafalgar.com - Official Site‎  http://tours.trafalgar.com/  -
  • Insight Vacations – Tours worldwide - Official Site‎ - www.insightvacations.com/
  • Latour - Latin American tours, http://www.latour.com/
  • Pacific Delight World Tours – Far Eastern and certain Africa countries tours http://www.pacificdelighttours.com
  • General Tours,  Now called Alexander Roberts – Tours worldwide, https://www.alexanderroberts.com
  • African Travel, Inc.’s, http://africantravelinc.com  Lion World Tours’ - https://www.lionworldtravel.com – Africa
  • Go Ahead Vacations – Tours worldwide -  http://www.goaheadtours.com


F…
Festivals

  • New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival, USA
  • Calgary Stampede, Canada
  • Cannes film festival, France
  • San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain
  • Carnival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, New South Wales
  • Abu Simbel festival, Egypt
  • Cockroach racing world championships, Brisbane
  • Festival in the desert, Mali
  • Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany


Fishing
G…
Garden
Gay
Golf
H…
Hiking
Historical
Horseback
Hot Air Balloon
I…
Island
J…
Jazz
K…
Kayaking
Knitting
L…
Language
Lesbian
Location
Luxury
M…
Marathon running
Motor coach
Motorcycling
Mountaineering
Museums
Music
N…
Nature
P…
Painting
Performing Arts
Photography
Pilgrimage
R…
Rafting
Rail
Rainforest
Religious
Research
S…
Safari
Sailing
Scuba/Snorkeling
Shopping
Sightseeing
Singles
Skiing
Spa
Spiritual
Storm Chasing
Student
Swimming
T…
Train
Trekking
U…
Unesco World Heritage Sites
worldheritagetours.com/
Around the world in... 962 Unesco sites: Luxury experience company ...
V…
Volunteering
W…
Walking
Wellness Boot camp
Whale Watching
Windsurfing
Wine
Women
Y…
Yoga

 

More next week my friends!
 

Terrigal Beach

The Valley of the Kings - CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=137169

MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow - By Mocak - MOCAK Muzeum Sztuki Współczesnej w Krakowie, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16206401

Yodelers on top Pfänder Mountain - Photo by Vicki Kralapp

Crane Beach, Barbados - One of the top 10 beaches of the world and great for boogie boarding
Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda - Pink sand beach 
Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Year-round activity, inspired "The Girl From Ipanema", beautiful white sand
Lopes Mendes, Ilha Grande, Brazil - 3 km long beach and crystal blue water 
Praia Mole, Florianopolis, Brazil - Contains beach bars, cafes, and restaurants
Playa Paraiso, Cayo Largo, Cuba - Secluded white sand beach
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands -White sand beach and snorkeling

Arc de Triomphe - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Russia ​

St Petersburg
Academy of Fine Arts Museum
Anichkov Palace
Beloselskiy-Belozerskiy Palace
Chesmenskiy Palace
Commoners' St. Petersburg Museum
Erarta Museum and Gallery of Contemporary Art
Ivangorod Fortress Historical, Architectural and Art Museum
Kamennoostrovskiy Palace





Koporye Fortress Museum
Kresty Prison Museum
Loft Project ETAGI
Mikhailovskiy Palace
Museum of Non-Conformist Art
Museum of the Petersburg Avant-garde
Museum of Urban Sculpture
New Museum of Modern Art
Palace of Grand Duke Alexey Alexandrovich (Music House)
Peter and Paul Fortress
Razumovsky Palace
Sheremetev Palace
State Hermitage Museum








St. Petersburg Artist Museum-Exhibition Center
State Russian Museum
The Marble Palace
Stroganov Palace
Summer Palace of Peter the Great
Vyborg Castle Museum
Yusupov Palace on the Moika River

The Winter Palace

 

Guggenheim, NYC - By Jean-Christophe BENOIST - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19322217

Wawel Royal Castle - By FotoCavallo - http://www.flickr.com/photos/cecphotography/6281990824/, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17653028

Come see the world with me!

Austria
Salzburg

  • DomQuartier
  • Museum of Modern Art
  • Salzburg Museum
  • Rupertinum & Museum of Modern Art
  • Künstlerhaus des Salzburger Kunstvereins
  • Editor's Pick
    The Salzburg Residenz and the Residenzgalerie
  • Hohensalzburg Castle







  • St. Peter's Church
  • Salzburg Cathedral
  • St. Peter's Abbey
  • The Franciscan Church
  • Schloss Mirabell and Gardens
  • Salt Mines
  • Kapitelplatz
  • Schloss Hellbrunn
  • Kapitelplatz
  • Franziskanerkirche
  • St. Sebastian's Church
  • Mozart's birthplace









​Vienna

  • Vienna City Hall, Rathaus











​

When visiting another country, it is important to see both the familiar tourist areas as well as the lesser known places.  For me, Salzburg was the place where the Sound of Music was filmed, but it also proved to be very educational and introduced me to traditional Austrian music.  While our college group did see the Sound of Music Tour and the Salzburg Salt mines, we were also pleasantly surprised by some of the things right in front of us.  The first night, we all took a hike up to the Hohensalzburg Castle. While it was already closed, we all made memories by making hand shadows on the castle walls.  (Remember, we were all very young!) In Lienz, after climbing up to Hochstein Hutte, we enjoyed the local cuisine and then were serenaded by guitar players and Austrian song. In Bregenz, while enjoying a beautiful summer day on a mountaintop, we were audience to a group of Austrian yodellers. 

By Velvet - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35472522​

My favorite seaside resort in Europe is located on the Mediterranean sea in the town of Agde, France.  It is both beautiful and full of culture. We had fun playing in the surf as well as walking around the shops and eating our way through the coastal community later. 

Week 3 - 
Do I Want To Relax On A Beach?

Chichen Itza - By Daniel Schwen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7647000

Cap d'Agde, France 

My favorite beach to play.  The waves are not too high for bodysurfing and one can build sandcastles and play all day long!

Residents Beach, Marco Island

Florence

  • The Baptistry
  • Piazza della Signora
  • Museo dell' Opera del Duomo
  • Florence Cathedral
  • Ponte Vecchio
  • Santa Croce, Florence
  • Palazzo Vecchio
  • Piazzale Michelangelo
  • Florence Baptistery
  • Giotto's Campanile
  • Bargello
  • Santa Maria Novella
  • San Miniato al Monte
  • Piazza del Duomo, Florence
  • Medici Chapel
  • San Marco, Florence
  • Santo Spirito, Florence
  • Loggia dei Lanzi
  • Palazzo Medici Riccardi
  • Pazzi Chapel
  • Galleria dell’Accademia - ​The David









  • Uffizi Gallery
  • Museo Nazionale del Bargello
  • Visit a market
  • Cappella Brancacci
  • Santa Maria Novella
  • Cappelle Medicee
  • Pitti Palace













​​

  •  Piazza Navona

















  • Leaning Tower of Piza - Piza
  • Milan Cathedral - Milan
  • Capuchin Catacombs – Palermo
  • Montecatini Thermal Baths
  • Old Castle In Verona - Verona
  • Sforzesco Castle – Lombardy
  • La Scala - Milan
  • Santa Maria Delle Grazie – Milan
  • Trajan's Arch – Ancona
  • Naples Royal Palace - Naples
  • Paestum
  • Pompeii





​

Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul (Blue Mosque - By Dersaadet) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9575779

Vienna City Hall, Rathaus - By Jonathan White - Own photograph, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6384274

The Aspendos amphitheatre - By Saffron Blaze - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17617210

  • The Cloud Alien People, Los Pinchudos, Peru
  • Sacsayhuamán Peru, the former capital of the Inca Empire
  • Nazca Lines


Traveling to Rome and Paris was rather like being a kid in a favorite candy store for me.   I loved every moment of my two visits to each place.  The one thing that I learned and must warn my readers about both famous and historic cities and their surrounding areas is that you could easily spend two lifetimes sight seeing in just Paris and Rome and never see all that both places have to offer.  You will always find something new, no matter how long you stay. For example, the last time I was in France, I helped chaperone the French students from our school.  Our itinerary included a trip to Giverny to visit Monet’s home, lily pond and gardens. While standing in front of his water lily pond, I found myself in tears.  The students were dumbfounded by my emotion.  But later, when standing under the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the guard didn’t seem at all surprised when it moved me to tears. I would imagine many people are also moved to tears daily during his shift.  For me travel is all about appreciating the art of either people or nature. Sometimes there are just no words to express how much that beauty moves us! 

Mozart's birthplace - By Jonathan White - Own photograph, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6384274

By Stefan Bauer, http://www.ferras.at - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=945110

Palacio de San Telmo, Seville - By Jebulon - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22619546

France

Paris

  • Abbaye Royale De Chaalis
  • Espace Dalí
  • Le Petit Palais
  • Musée Marmottan Monet
  • Musée National d'Art Moderne at the Centre Pompidou
  • Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
  • Musée National du Moyen Âge
  • Musée Rodin
  • Musée d'Orsay








  • Les Arts Décoratifs
  • National Museum Of Eugéne Delacroix
  • National Museum of the Renaissance
  • Orangerie Museum
  • Picasso Museum
  • Rodin Museum
  • The Louvre Museum
  • La Conciergerie 
  • Place de la Concorde
  • The Eiffel Tower








  • Sainte Chapelle
  • Crypte Archeologique Paris
  • Les Invalides
  • Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris
  • The Catacombs of Paris
  • Musee du Louvre
  • Arc de Triomphe






​

Other Cities

  • Giverny
  • Chateau de Chenonceau
  • Nimes Roman Monuments
  • Reims Cathedral
  • Strasbourg Old Town
  • Palace of Fontainebleau
  • Pont du Gard
  • Carcassonne
  • Chartres Cathedral
  • Palais des Papes
  • Chateau de Chambord
  • Mont Saint-Michel
  • Verasailles

Schloss Mirabell and Gardens - Photo by Vicki Kralapp

By Cristian Bortes - Flickr: Budapest, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19516148

  • Chan Chan

Welcome

Contact Info

My favorite Australian beach is Terrigal.  It was right down the coast from where I was staying at Avoca Beach, has shops galore and wonderful little places to eat!

Seven Mile Beach, Negril (Photo by Vicki Kralapp)

The Treasury in the ancient city of Petra The Treasury (al-Khazna) ‪(Petra - Wadi Musa) - By Susanahajer, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35798017

Italy 

Venice


Santa Maria Dei Miracoli
St Mark's Campanile
Correr Museum, Museo Civico Correr
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari or Basilica dei Frari or Friar Basilica
St Mark's Square















Doge's Palace
Rialto Bridge
Scuola Grande Di San Rocco
​Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca d’Oro/House of Gold

Ca’ Rezzonico, (Museo del Settecento) Museum of 18th Century Venice

Basilica of St. Mark, Basilica di San Marco


​








St. Mark's Clocktower
Basilica Of St. Mary Of Health
Galleria Dell' Accademia
Scala Contarini Del Bovolo
Punta Della Dogana
Museo Archeologico Nazionale
Murano Glass Factory
Burano

The Luxor Temple - By Hajor at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19030

St. Mark's Square - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman - (Photo by Diane LaPlant)

Marco Island​​

Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde, COBy Rationalobserver - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40948864

State Hermitage Museum - Rubens Room - By Nagyman - Flickr.com - image description page, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1284668

Hungary

Budapest
Parliament (Budapest)
National Theater (Budapest)
The building of the Hungarian Geological Institute (Budapest)
The Basilica of Eger
Buda Castle (Budapest)
Cathedral of St. Peter
The Iseum temple of Savaria (Szombathely)
The Ruins of Gorsium (Tác)

Matthias Church

When my last significant relationship ended, I decided that it was time to go on a cruise to make myself feel better.  What a great idea that was!  However, did I need this type of inspiration to go on a trip?  Certainly not!  But it did set a precedent for how I wanted to spend my vacation.


 






















​​

Blue Beach (La Chiva), Vieques, Puerto Rico - Perfect sand and crystal water
Flamenco Beach, Cuelbra, Puerto Rico - White sand and turquoise water
Anse Source D'Argent, La Digue Island, Seychelles - Velvet sand and strikingly blue water
Beau Vallon Beach, Mahe, Seychelles - Clear water and reef, great for diving and snorkeling
Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi, Thailand - Views of jungle peaks, and great snorkeling
Sunrise Beach, Koh Pha-Ngan, Thailand - White sand beach
Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos - White sand and turquoise water
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, British VI - Very soft white sand
Trunk Bay, St. John, U.S. VI - White sand and snorkeling
Cayo de Agua, Los Roques, Venezuela - White sand beach and turquoise water
Nha Trang Beach, Vietnam - White sand and scuba diving

Trevi Fountain - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Jordan

Petra

  • Monastery (Al Dayr) ‪(Petra - Wadi Musa)
  • The Royal Tombs ‪(Petra - Wadi Musa)
  • Al-Beidha - Little Petra ‪(Petra - Wadi Musa)
  • Street of Facades ‪(Petra - Wadi Musa)
  • Ad Deir in Petra, Jordan.
  • Petra World Heritage Site ‪(Petra - Wadi Musa)​
  • Petra Museum
  • The Treasury


 


 



Amman

  • The Citadel ‪(Amman)
  • Ruins of the Roman Temple of Hercules on Citadel Hill (Amman)
  • The Jordan Museum ‪(Amman)
  • National Archaeological Museum ‪(Amman)
  • Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts ‪(Amman)
  • Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts
  • ‪Roman Amphitheater


 


 


 


​

Other Cities

  • Ajloun Castle in Ajloun
  • Qal'At Al-Rabad, Ajlun castle
  • The bath house of Qusayr Amra
  • Qasr Mshatta
  • Madaba Archaeological Museum ‪(Madaba)
  • Aqaba
  • Jerash Ruins ‪(Jerash)

Our greeting party in Belize.

Old Town Hall with Astronomical Clock - By James Grimmelmann - Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons. wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1123285

By garethwiscombe - http://www.flickr.com/photos/garethwiscombe/1071477228/in/photostream/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13278936

Roman Amphitheater (Amman) - By Bernard Gagnon - Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10263540

Memphis - By No machine-readable author provided. Neithsabes assumed (based on copyright claims). - No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=805821

Pitti Palace, By Tiia Monto - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27960527

My Favorite Beaches


Versailles - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Playa De Amor, Marietas Islands, Mexico - Hidden beach
Playa Paraiso, Tulum, Mexico - Within view of ancient Mayan ruins

Cloth Hall - CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=344678

Previous Articles

About Me

Teotihuacán -By eu - tirada por mim, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2244741

Glockenspiel (Munich) - Public Domain, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6720113

Punta Cana Beach, Dominican Republic (Photo by Vicki Kralapp)

  • Church on the Rock (Kosciol na Skalce)
  • Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
  • Main Market Square
  • Wawel CathedralThe Barbican (Barbakan)​
  • Cloth Hall (Sukiennice)

My first oversight was in not learning enough about the places we were planning to visit during our first 3 weeks.  Although it is exhilarating to be surprised by what you happen upon in new surroundings, it is so much easier to be prepared.  This part of our trip took us to Zurich, Rudesheim, Koln, Berlin, (East Berlin), Nurnberg, Salzburg, Lienz, Bregenz, Ulm.  The only knowledge I had of any of these cities was that Salzburg was the home to the Von Trapp family from the Sound of Music.  As an art major and art history minor, don’t you think that it would have been to my benefit to know that Koln and Ulm have world famous churches within their city walls, that Nurnberg was the home of Albrecht Durer founder of the Northern Renaissance and that Berlin has an incredible art museum?  Although it did not keep me from exploring my surroundings, there are many things that I am sure that I missed because of my unpreparedness.

 

Turkey

  • Bulgarian St. Stephen Church in Fatih, Istanbul
  • The Lion Gate in Hattusa
  • The gymnasium of Sardis
  • The Library of Celsus in Ephesus
  • Yılankale Castle
  • Mevlana Museum
  • Topkapı Palace
  • Hagia Sophia in Istanbul


 

Musée d'Orsay - By Vicki Kralapp

Pantheon - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

Punta Cana Beach

The Eiffel Tower - Photo By Vicki Kralapp

The Panathenaic Stadium - By Badseed - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6517570

Matthias Church - By Unknown - Civertan Grafik, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons. wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=755673

Vacation Blog

THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES IN THE WORLD...
 

​
If I had to do it all over again, I would find a job in the Tropics on one of the beaches that I have visited.  This week I will show my readers where to find some of the best and what makes each one unique.  But first some stories...


I visited Whitehaven Beach in 2000 when I took my father to Australia for his 75th birthday.  I had read about the Whitsundays in my Islands magazine while still living at home with my parents when I was younger and it became a lifelong dream to visit this beautiful place.  So I spent a year in the gym lifting weights, building up my arm muscles to go deep-sea fishing on my trip as I wanted to experience what Hemingway did in the Keys.  Unfortunately,  though the Whitsundays are much farther north than where I was used to being on the Central Coast of NSW, it was still the off-season and within two days of landing, it began to rain.  No fishing and no quality time outside after a trip to Whitehaven Beach.  It was a nice visit, but I would have had just as much fun in Sydney on Manly.  So watch out for seasonal weather when planning your trips!
 
Our trip to Seven Mile Beach from our hotel in Ochos Rios is always a fun story to tell, although my sister still tells it better than I. Our bus had cancelled because of the small amount of people that had signed up and instead, we were taken by a local taxi cab to Negril, by a driver named George, which we have since named Crazy George because of his driving. We were accompanied by a couple from our hometown that we had met in our hotel and spent the day with them.  Most of us covered up, as like most northerns, we had burned earlier in the week.  After spending the day sipping on drinks, eating at Rick’s Café and watching tourists jump off of the rocks, we were whisked home along slippery, winding roads at about 60 miles an hour. (Yes, it was raining again!)  The driver had more rum punch in the trunk for us and we began drinking and singing along with Bob Marley songs as the driver reached out of his window to manually move the broken wipers to clear the rain from the car's windshield.  We stopped once along the way to buy some shells and as I slid across the road on my bare feet, I began to wonder if we would make it home… But that is another story.

 



 

Barnes Bay, Anguilla - Softest sand 
Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia - Biggest sand island

in the world
Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island Australia​ - 

Known for its white sands




 


 

Because I am new to the blog scene, I misjudged the time needed to finish a weekly blog such as this.  

And because of my continued struggles with health issues, I have decided to publish my blog once a month instead.  I will post it at 6:00 every first Sunday of each month.  So until the time that I can get out and travel myself again, I will see you once a month from my desk and computer with a different topic.  

​My next blog will be on March 5th on the subject of ecotourism.  

Happy travels! Ciao! 😎

Week 1 - 

How It All Began...


When I began traveling back in 1977, I really didn’t have much of a clue as to what I was doing or how to begin.  I was spending a semester abroad in Munich, Germany with a chaperone, his family and umpteen other college students, so I let the school take care of the details and my immediate concerns continued to center around studying, grades and earning money.  However, that came back to bite me too many times along my journey.

 

Piazza del Campo - By Ricardo André Frantz (User:Tetraktys) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2245756

England

  • Windsor Castle
  • Hampton Court
  • Edinburgh Castle
  • St. Michael's Mount
  • Stirling Castle
  • Caernarfon Castle
  • Leeds Castle
  • Tintagel Castle
  • Warwick Castle
  • Tower of London
  • ​Royal Academy of Arts
  • Stonehenge 









  • Christchurch Cathedral, Oxford
  • Salisbury Cathedral
  • Southwark Cathedral, London
  • St. Paul’s Cathedral, London
  • Wells Cathedral, Somerset
  • Winchester Cathedral
  • Durham Cathedral
  • Peterborough Cathedral
  • Ely Cathedral
  • Gloucester cathedral
  • Norwich Cathedral
  • Roman Baths (Bath, England)
  • Canterbury Cathedral


​


​

  • Lincoln cathedral
  • Salisbury cathedral
  • Wells Cathedral
  • York Minster
  • Westminster Abbey, London.
  • British Museum
  • National Gallery
  • Tate Modern
  • National Portrait Gallery
  • Tate Britain
  • Houses of Parliament

​​Hagia Sophia in Istanbul - By Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada - Turkey-3019 - Hagia Sophia, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23450307

Rome

  • Altare della Patria
  • Appian Way (Via Appia Antica)
  • Aqueduct Park
  • Ara Pacis
  • Basilica San Clemente
  • Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
  • Baths of Caracalla
  • Borghese Gallery
  • Campo de' Fiori
  • Capitoline Museums
  • Castel Sant'Angelo 
  • Catacombs
  • Colosseum


​




  • Centrale Montemartini
  • Circus Maximus
  • Doria Pamphilj Gallery
  • EUR (Esposizione Universale Roma) district
  • Isola Tiberina
  • MAXXI Museum
  • Museo della Civiltà Romana
  • Museo delle Anime del Purgatorio
  • Museum and Crypt of the Capuchins
  • National Museum of Rome
  • Ostia Antica Archaeological Park
  • The Palatine Hill
  • Palazzo Altemps
  • Palazzo Massimo alle Terme
  • Sistine Chapel










  • Pantheon
  • Piazza Navona
  • Piazza del Campidogl
  • Roman Forum
  • Roman meta-museum
  • San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane
  • San Clemente
  • Spanish Steps 
  • St. Peter's Basilica
  • Vatican Museums
  • Villa Farnesina
  • Villa Giulia
  • Trevi Fountain







  • ​Piazza Venezia
  • Palazzo dei Conservatori
  • Pantheon

El Cabo San Juan Beach, Tayrona National Park, Colombia - One of Columbia's best beaches
Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa, Cyprus - White sand, azure seas
Malolo Island, Fiji - White sand beach, privately owned
Paradise Beach, Mykonos, Greece - Soft sands and azure waters, lots of events, Mykonos' original nudist beach
Glass Beach, Kauai, Hawaii - Glass stone beach
Honokalani Beach, Wai'anapanapa State Park, Maui, HI - Black volcanic beach and strikingly blue water
Sunset Beach, Oahu, HI - Big wave surfing in winter and snorkeling in summer
Waipio Valley Beach, Big Island, HI - Black volcanic sand beach
West Bay Beach, West Bay, Honduras - White sand beach and plenty of snorkeling!
Seven Mile Beach, Negril, Jamaica - White sand and nude beach

Waterlilies at Giverny - Photo by Vicki Kralapp

Milwaukee Art Museum, WI - By PeterSesar - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46973113

Schloss Linderhof - By Softeis - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=161243​

Nazca Lines - Photo By Linda Alcorn www.lindaealcorn.blogspot.com 

My favorite beach in the Caribbean!  Dominican Republic is one of the places that is still very inexpensive to vacation and the all-inclusives are great.  But I loved walking on the beach in the morning and evening to collect my thoughts, as well as shells.

Lagoona Beach, California, USA (Vicki Kralapp photo archives)

Travel and The

Solo Woman

Machu Picchu - Photo By Linda Alcorn

 www.lindaealcorn.blogspot.com

Prague Castle - By Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28714927

At Hochstein Hutte - Photo from Kralapp archives

Aerial photo of the Pula Arena. - By Boris Licina - http://www.flickr.com/photos/borislicina/460053540/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16938427

Atlantes de Tula - By AlejandroLinaresGarcia - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24460525

One of the first things that you must ask yourself when taking any trip is what you want to do on your vacation.  This alone will help you decide which vacation is right for you.  Are you in the mood for adventure, sport, art, history or what? Just what is it that you need in your life?  There is a whole list of vacations that are open for you to choose from.  I asked myself, what do I want to do?  Do I want a warm place during my spring break?  (Well of course!)  Do I want a new place to go to or something familiar?  I decided on a Caribbean cruise, where I figured I got the biggest bang for my buck.  I got the warmth that I wanted.  I didn’t have to worry about driving and all of my needs were taken care of.  I had wanted to check out the snorkeling in Belize since a friend had spent a summer in that area some years ago. And the price for Carnival Cruises was right for my budget.  What I got out of my trip was so much more that what I had imagined!  We made port each morning in a different place; Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel.  I found two places that I would go back to in a heartbeat and dreamed about snorkeling and the fishes for years to come.







In college I majored in studio art and minored in art history before I went into teaching art, so this area of travel is especially interesting to me.  In fact, I may have overdone it a bit, as I often do.  But there is so much to be gained by exploring the art and architecture of past and present cultures that it was incredibly hard to choose which countries to focus on.  The list that I have compiled for this week is only a touch of what is out in the world just waiting for everyone to see.  In studying for my travel certificate two years ago, I was not only excited by what I was learning, but also surprised by some of the fantastic architecture and art around the world.   Frequently that treasure is from areas that we rarely hear about in the western world, like Croatia and Turkey. 


 

    

The Blythe Intaglios - By Ron's Log - http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronslog/400353265/, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1742586

By Adam Jones Adam63 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7389479

Sienna

  • Piazza del Campo
  • Palazzo Pubblico
  • Basilica dell'Osservanza
  • Santa Maria dei Servi
  • San Domenico
  • San Francesco
  • Santo Spirito
  • San Martino
  • Piazza Salimbeni








  • Pinacoteca Nazionale
  • Torre del Mangia
  • Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
  • Basilica of San Domenico, Siena
  • Loggia del Papa, Siena
  • Siena Baptistery of San Giovanni
  • Siena Cathedral
  • Piazza del Campo













  • Opera Della Metroploitana
  • Santa Maria della Scala











  • Dolmabahçe Palace
  • The Kharāghān twin towers
  • Toghrol Tower
  • Lycian rock cut tombs of Kaunos (Dalyan)
  • The Dying Galatian
  • The temple of Athena in the ancient Greek city of Priene
  • Sanctuary of Commagene Kings on Mount Nemrut
  • The Aspendos Amphitheatre 












​Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul (Blue Mosque)

World Cuisine Adventure

United States

Washington DC

  • Mount Vernon Estate
  • United States Capitol and Capitol Hill
  • White House
  • Smithsonian Museum
  • National Cathedral
  • Dumbarton House
  • The Octagon Museum
  • Arlington House
  • The Willard Hotel
  • Washington Memorial




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  • Jefferson Memorial
  • Washington Memorial
  • WW2 Memorial
  • Vietnam Memorial
  • Korian Memorial
  • National Geographic Museum
  • National Gallery of Art
  • National Museum of African Art
  • Lincoln Memorial


 



​

  • Corcoran Gallery of Art
  • Art Museum of The Americas
  • Smithsonian Institution Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
  • Smithsonian American Art Museum
  • 13 Washington National Cathedral
  • Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden; Washington, D.CPhillips Collection; Washington, D.C.
  • National Gallery of Art; Washington, D.C.
  • National Portrait Gallery


 

 

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New York

  • Museum Of Modern Art NYC
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
  • Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC
  • Bannerman Castle, Pollepel Island, Beacon
  • Boldt Castle, Heart Island, Alexandria Bay
  • Guggenheim, NYC


 







California

  • Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) L.A.
  • Getty Center, L.A.
  • Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
  • M.H. de Young Museum, San Francisco
  • Castello di Amorosa, Calistoga
  • The Blythe Intaglios



 
 






Other Cities

  • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MS
  • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MS
  • The Art Institute of Chicago, IL
  • The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL
  • Cahokia, IL
  • Chinati Foundation; Marfa, TX
  • Bishop’s Palace, Galveston, TX
  • The Menil Collection, Houston, TX
  • Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA
  • Fonthill Castle, Doylestown, PA
  • The Cleveland Museum of Art, OH
  • Serpent Mound, OH
  • Walker Art Center; Minneapolis, MN
  • High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA
  • ​Montezuma Castle National Monument (Camp Verde, Arizona, United States)
  • Chumash Cave Painting, c. 1000
  • Cahokia
  • Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde, CO


 





  • Seattle Art Museum, WA
  • Detroit Institute of Arts, MI
  • Baltimore Museum of Art; Baltimore, MD
  • MASS MoCA; North Adams, MA
  • Pulitzer Arts Foundation; St. Louis, MO
  • Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC
  • The Breakers, Newport, RI
  • Moundville Archaeological Park, AB
  • Chaco Canyon, NM
  • Bighorn Medicine Wheel, Lovell, WY
  • Casa Grande Ruins, Coolidge, AZ
  • Milwaukee Art Museum, WI